


I Got You... Everything Else Seems Insignifcant

by thatmitchsentho



Series: PP Rare Pair Week 2018 [5]
Category: Pitch Perfect
Genre: F/F, Rare pair week 2018, pprarepairweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-22 06:42:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14303079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatmitchsentho/pseuds/thatmitchsentho
Summary: Aubrey Posen has just taken her very first teaching job after switching careers. All she’s hoping for is that someone will be nice enough to talk to her. And in walks Chloe Beale.





	I Got You... Everything Else Seems Insignifcant

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Rare Pair Week 2018!  
> Day Five - High School

Aubrey could still remember the first time she saw her. Across a crowded school hall. She was new and nervous and she was looking around trying to ascertain who exactly was going to be friendly here and who was going to make her life hard. A flash of gorgeous red hair by the door caught her eye and Aubrey couldn’t help but stare a few moments. It seemed to alert the other woman to her presence and she turned her head. She had bright blue eyes, gorgeous and clear. Aubrey hoped she wasn’t a raging bitch. But there was a soft smile that told her perhaps she wasn’t, which was a nice thought.

She didn’t see her again until lunch time. She managed to navigate the first half of her classes okay. Some of the kids were absolute terrors and some were fantastic but most were normal teenagers - bored and not interested in learning, but that was manageable.

She took a seat at the corner of a table in the lunch room and unpacked her food before the woman with the red hair breezed in, throwing small talk at everyone in her path. Then she spotted Aubrey sitting on her own and dropped down next to her.

“Hi, I’m Chloe Beale,” she said. “You must be new here.”

“Aubrey Posen,” Aubrey replied. “And yes, I am. I’m new here and also to teaching.”

“Your first job?” Chloe asked. Aubrey nodded. “Well it’s not really a bad place to get started to be honest. Are you from around here?”

“No I only moved here last week,” Aubrey said. “I barely know my way around.”

“Oh we can’t have that,” Chloe said. “If you like I can meet you after class and give you the tour. Both the school and the area.”

“That would be really great,” Aubrey said. “I’m teaching Government and Civics, Room 14.”

“I’ll stop past a little after classes let out,” Chloe promised. Aubrey smiled at her and they ate lunch as Chloe pointed out people from the school, introducing her to those who came close enough.

After classes had let out, Aubrey waited in her classroom for Chloe. She didn’t have to wait long, the redhead toting a huge briefcase with her as she appeared in the doorway. 

“How was the rest of your first day?” Chloe asked.

“Fine I think,” Aubrey said. “I have a few questions about some of the students but nothing bad happened.” She gathered her own things and they headed out toward the parking lot, a couple of the students saying goodbye to Miss Beale on their way.

“So what do you teach?” Aubrey asked.

“I’m the guidance counsellor,” Chloe said. “So the questions about those kids? I’m probably the person best qualified to answer them. But another day. Let’s head into town, get coffee and I’ll get you acquainted.” They got into Chloe’s car and headed into town. Aubrey knew the main roads that took her from home to work and back, plus the grocery store, but that was it. 

By the end of the day, Aubrey had learned how to get around town, which places were good to eat at and which to absolutely avoid. But more importantly, she had a friend. Chloe was warm-hearted and nice, and Aubrey was glad that she had someone in this town she could talk to.

She told Chloe all about how she came to teach, giving away a fairly promising law career in the process, drawing the ire of her family. Chloe told her all about her family and the fact that she really just wanted to help kids.

They ended up living together by chance more than anything. They’d become firm friends over the first part of the year - being relatively close in age and single unlike most of their colleagues - so they were together often. One morning before classes began, Chloe came in all in a fluster.

“What’s wrong?” Aubrey asked.

“Oh my landlord sold the building and I have to move out,” Chloe said. “The new owners want to redevelop. I’ve got thirty days.”

“Move in with me,” Aubrey said automatically.

“What?” Chloe said.

“Move into my place,” Aubrey said. “You’ve seen the house, Chlo, I have more than enough room.” It was true. Aubrey was in a three bedroom house in the quieter part of the area. She definitely had enough room. It had nothing to do with the fact that even laying eyes on Chloe made her stomach twist pleasantly, or hearing her voice made her smile on reflex.

“You sure?” Chloe asked.

“Of course I’m sure,” Aubrey said. “Nobody I’d rather share with.”

They moved her in over the weekend. It was sooner than her landlord wanted - he had expected thirty days worth of rent from Chloe and as they toted the last box of her stuff to the little trailer attached to her car he’d claimed she was still obligated to pay.

“Sorry, can you repeat that please?” Aubrey said.

“She still owes me the month in rent,” he said.

“Except she doesn’t,” Aubrey said. “You wanted her out, she’s out. You can’t ask someone to vacate a property and then get mad that they leave and don’t pay you. Her rental ledger isn’t in arrears, she owes you nothing.”

“We can take it to court if you like,” he said in a manner that Aubrey was sure was supposed to be threatening.

“Please do,” Aubrey said. “Chloe will be represented by McGill and Michaels in Atlanta, so you can address your claim to them. Shouldn’t be too hard to find the address, if you google ‘biggest Atlanta law firms’ they’ll be the first entry.” 

“Maybe I’ll let it slide,” he said.

“Excellent,” Aubrey said. “We’d like a check for her security deposit within seven days. The house is - quite frankly - in better condition that when you rented it to her. I’ve seen the photos. Give this number a call when the check is ready.” She slid out one of her old business cards and handed it to him. He didn’t look happy but allowed them to leave.

“You’re a little terrifying as a lawyer,” Chloe said with a chuckle as they drove away.

“He seemed like the kind of guy who would try to stiff you,” Aubrey shrugged. “Not happening on my watch.”

It was kind of great, sharing a house. They could come home after work and decompress, drink a glass of wine and relax. Chloe was tidy and always had her share of the rent and utilities on time. They actually enjoyed weekends spent in the garden or grocery shopping. 

All in all, Aubrey was happy. She was quite enjoying her teaching job - she was definitely thought of as strict by some students, but she was fair. She was very clear that she expected people to complete their work on time, but if they were struggling due to lack of time or not quite understanding, she wanted them to come to her. She and Chloe had already helped a couple of students who were having difficulty managing school work and outside responsibilities. They were a great team in just about every way.

But things changed. Spring break was approaching and they were both getting a little stir crazy, ready for the break. The students were just as ready for the break and even Aubrey was letting the reins slip a little. Instead of sticking to her regimented class outline for the last two days, she instead let the students work on their papers, relaxing her no talking rule at the same time.

It was about fifteen minutes til the last class of the day let out when a freshman knocked on Aubrey’s door. She beckoned the girl in. 

“Ms Beale asked to drop this off,” the girl said.

“Thanks,” Aubrey replied. Some of the other teachers knew they lived together but she didn’t think any of the students did. It wasn’t relevant anyway. She opened the note and read it.

[So I now have a student conference after class - can you believe!? Don’t wait around, I’ll catch a taxi. Just make sure the wine is ready :) C.]

Aubrey smiled a little. She wrote the same way she spoke. They’d planned to spend their first free afternoon drinking wine and eating their way through a cheese platter. It was no worry - she’d get home and start pulling the platter together. 

By the time Chloe actually made it home, Aubrey was barefoot in the kitchen. She was stretching up to pull down a couple of wine glasses, singing all the while to the music she’d put on when she got home. She didn’t hear Chloe come in, didn’t feel her staring. She turned around and almost dropped the glasses in her hand.

“Christ you frightened me,” Aubrey said. 

“Sorry,” Chloe said. She paused as if she was considering her next words very carefully. “I didn’t want to interrupt what was probably the most beautiful scene I’ve walked into in my life.” Aubrey’s cheeks coloured pink. 

“What do you mean?”

“You,” Chloe said. “Barefoot and singing in the kitchen.” She moved over to where Aubrey was placing the glasses down onto the bench. The blonde looked into her eyes for a second and had to pause herself. Chloe looked like she wanted the one thing she’d only dreamed about since not long after they’d become friends - she’d dared never ask her, not wanting to risk her friendship.

“I want to kiss you,” Chloe said, eradicating any doubt. “But only if you want me to.” Aubrey leaned in and kissed her first, her brain screaming FINALLY at her. She’d not even told the other woman she was gay, she was attracted to her, she was falling in love with her. Apparently it wasn’t necessary.

Their lips and tongues danced in tandem, a slow push and yield as hands found their way into hair or curved around waists. As Aubrey breathed her in; she felt like she was on fire but completely calm all at once. She just knew that she didn’t want this to stop. Chloe pulled back after a few moments, taking a second to fix Aubrey’s now slightly tousled hair and smiled.

“Well, this certainly changes everything,” she said happily. Aubrey couldn’t help but smile as wide as her face would allow.

“It’s not just me?” she asked, just to be sure.

“Like there was any way for me to not fall in love with you,” Chloe replied, making Aubrey’s heart falter in her chest. 

“I’ll pour the wine, you change,” Aubrey said. “I guess we should talk. I expect this break is going to contain a lot of new things for both of us.”

It was the best week Aubrey could remember having. They did spend a lot of time talking, about how they felt and how they wanted to handle their relationship at work and what would happen if the administration found out. But they spent just as much time kissing and touching, and after a few nights, finally going to bed together.

Aubrey was quite certain nobody had loved her quite like Chloe did. And she knew that the way she felt was completely new to her as well. But as spring break ended they returned to work, still firmly in love but wary of how it might be received by the rest of the staff. Because the school claimed to be progressive but it was more elitist and snobby. 

They chose not to tell them. It didn’t matter - everyone kind of accepted that Chloe and Aubrey were ridiculously close, and it was no secret that they lived together. From time to time Aubrey wondered if it bothered Chloe, but she assured her it didn’t and that she honestly didn’t care if they shouted it from the rooftops or whispered it in the dark - as long as they loved each other she was happy.

They chose moments in darkened classrooms after students had long left for the day, soft kisses and arms slung around each other, unburdening each other from trivial issues of the day. Then they’d head home and relax on the couch with a glass of wine, confessing the things that weren’t exactly trivial. Jason’s going to lose his athletic scholarship and be held back if he fails the final - it’s been suggested that I mercy pass him. D’Arcy told me her parents are splitting up and her mom hasn’t made it out of bed for days so she’s having to take care of her four siblings and she spent two hours crying in my office.

When summer break finally arrived it felt like taking off a jacket when you’ve been too warm. They felt like they could breathe. Aubrey said maybe they should tell people next year. Because the longer it had gone on the more she felt bad trying to keep what they had a secret. Chloe had kissed her right there in the middle of Whole Foods, and when she pulled back they saw three students from the school looking directly at them.

“Well I don’t think it’s going to be a secret any more,” was all Chloe could add. Aubrey nodded at the teenagers as they passed, well aware that by the end of the day they would be the subject of gossip. She didn’t care. They were headed to Florida in a week anyway, to see Chloe’s family. Aubrey was excited. A little nervous. But Chloe always spoke of them in a way that made her feel like they were nothing like her own family.

She was right. The Beales were warm and open and welcoming and she felt like part of the family in minutes. There were no double takes when the two women held hands, kissed, curled up next to each other. Chloe’s father had ruffled Aubrey’s hair and told her she was good for their little girl, and that was probably one of the best things she’d ever heard in her life.

Until Chloe had topped it as they walked along the beach. Hand in hand, breeze and salt doing their best to make their hair look atrocious. Aubrey kind of thought it only made Chloe more beautiful and she was about to open her mouth to say as much when Chloe began talking first.

“I don’t do serious like this, Aubrey,” she said quietly. Aubrey recognised the tone, it was the one Chloe used when things were about to be incredibly serious, so she squeezed her hand and they stopped walking, settling into the sand.

“But I have fallen so hard and so fast for you that I would be terrified, if it didn’t feel so absolutely perfect,” she continued. “You are incredible. I hope you know that. You’re so smart and thoughtful and you’re kind and you’re this unbelievable kind of beautiful where I sometimes can’t figure out how I got this lucky.” 

“Chlo-“

“You gotta let me finish,” Chloe said. “I love you. I’m insanely head over heels in love with you. And I know it’s only been three months and I know everyone is going to think I’m crazy but I want to marry you, Aubrey. I want us to get married.”

“Now?” Aubrey asked.

“While we’re here in Florida,” Chloe said. “If you’re up for it. If you want to wait, I will. But I’m so ready to be your wife.” There was a pause as Aubrey let this settle over her. Lord it was fast. But she was the same as Chloe - she was already deep and hard and completely in love. She saw the forever. She could see Chloe getting extremely nervous next to her and reached out to take her hand.

“I was always the kind of girl who stuck to conventions,” Aubrey said. “All it made me was unhappy. So screw convention, Chloe, let’s get married.” The redhead squealed and launched at her, pressing a long and passionate kiss against her mouth.

“I love you,” Aubrey said to her, once they’d gotten themselves back into an upright position. 

“I love you too,” Chloe replied. 

They went to get their marriage license the very next day. There was a fluttering thrill resounding in Aubrey’s chest as she and Chloe stood there together filling in the paperwork, but soon enough it was in their hands and now they just had to find someone to marry them.

“About that,” Chloe said. “My brothers will be in town for the weekend. And Bryan’s wife is a celebrant.”

“Oh it’s perfect,” Aubrey said. “Your family will get to be there.” Chloe’s face fell a little.

“Bree what about your family?” she asked. Aubrey shook her head.

“No,” she said. “They won’t come. But that’s okay.”

“Are you sure?” Chloe asked. “This shouldn’t just be about me, Aubrey.” 

“I’m sure,” Aubrey said. “I just want to marry you, Chloe.”

They ended up getting married in the Beales backyard. Chloe’s parents, her two brothers and their wives were in attendance, and her niece Emma served as both flower girl and ring bearer. Both wearing simple dresses, neither of them wearing white but not caring much for that convention either. They’d had enough time to get matching wedding bands, so they wrote their own vows and cried as they said them, before Melissa called them wife and wife. As the champagne was poured, Aubrey could definitely say she’d never been so happy in her life.

They didn’t go on a honeymoon, just spent the night in a hotel by the beach. They promised to take a vacation together next time school broke instead, since they’d already been here in Florida for a few weeks.

“So,” Chloe said, as they swept into the suite, dropping their overnight bag by the door. “Are we Beales or Posens or Beale-Posens or Posen-Beales?”

“Let’s be Beales,” Aubrey said. “Not like my family and I are close anyway.” 

“Only if you’re sure?” Aubrey’s arms wrapped around her and she kissed her deeply.

“I am sure,” she said. 

When the bid Florida goodbye and returned home, it was to a message on the answering machine from their boss asking to see them as soon as they were available. It was enough to make Chloe stop still.

“He doesn’t sound happy,” she mused.

“Doesn’t matter,” Aubrey said. “We’re happy.” Chloe smiled at her and kissed her.

“Ridiculously happy,” she said. “You know what? I’m not even going to call him back just yet.”

But they did eventually and he made mention of coming to see them about their relationship. Chloe was worried but Aubrey wasn’t worried. They had legal precedent that would support them if they needed it, which was an avenue she hoped she didn’t have to take. 

Unfortunately, she did.

Eric O’Leary was an elderly white man, very set in his ways. And the first thing he did after seating Chloe and Aubrey in his office was ask them to explain their relationship.

“No,” Aubrey replied. “Not unless you guarantee you’ve asked every other staff member here about their relationships.”

“But you work together and now all of a sudden you’re married?” he said. “It’s inappropriate.”

“Is it also inappropriate for the Andersons in Math and Science?” Chloe asked. “They also met here and got married. But with Aubrey and I nobody at this school even knew we were dating. And now we’re married.”

“And how are we supposed to explain that to the children?” he asked. His face was beginning to redden.

“You don’t explain it,” Aubrey said. “It’s none of their business. The fact that nobody knew about this relationship at all is testament to the fact that we’ve conducted ourselves in a professional manner.”

“Well that won’t satisfy the board,” he replied. “And unfortunately for you, Ms Posen, you have not yet been officially contracted for this academic year.”

“Are you seriously threatening to fire me because I got married?” Aubrey asked. “Are you forgetting that I have a fairly lengthy background in civil litigation?”

“You can’t fire Aubrey,” Chloe said. “Her kids are showing greater subject comprehension than any other teacher has managed in her classes in six years.”

“Be that as it may, this school has a reputation to uphold,” the principal said.

“Fine,” Aubrey said. “I’d like the termination in writing, and I’d like you to clearly state your reasoning so that when I sue you, I can come for you fully prepared.”

“No!” Chloe said. “Mr O’Leary, if you fire Aubrey, I’m quitting. And we will make it known to every single student or parent we come across that it was your absolute lack of compassion, equality and acceptance that caused you to lose two staff members.”

“If that is what it takes to undo this, then that is your decision,” he said evenly.

“Let’s go, Bree,” Chloe said. “We can go anywhere we want, teach somewhere else. California. Florida, Colorado, Texas, I don’t care. But we don’t deserve this. All we did was fall in love.”

“He can’t do this, Chloe,” Aubrey said.

“But now, knowing what kind of person he is-“

“I’m right here,” the man interrupted.

“I don’t care,” Chloe said. “Bree, knowing what he’s like, I don’t even want to work anywhere he is.”

“I will fight for this if you want me to stay,” Aubrey said. 

“No, lets just go,” Chloe said. “We’ll get jobs somewhere else.”

“Okay, we won’t sue,” Aubrey said to the man. “But you bet your sweet ass everyone is going to know why we left. We will mail our resignations by the end of the day.”

“And for the record,” Chloe said as they got to their feet, “you’re a deplorable asshole, Eric. A homophobe and a truly vile character.” Then they left, holding hands as they made their way back to the car. 

Neither of them shed any tears over it. They were angry, definitely, but they still had Aubrey’s money to move and start again - to take their honeymoon now if they wanted. They wrote their resignations as soon as they got home and in a move of spite, sent copies to the school board and the office of the school district. 

“So your first teaching job didn’t last very long,” Chloe said. “I’m sorry Aubrey.” Aubrey pulled her close and kissed her long and deep.

“I’m not,” she said. “There’s no way I look at where we are now and see this as a loss. I got you... everything else seems insignificant.” She pulled her wife toward her and held her close.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a win.”


End file.
